Wild herbs become new source of livelihood for displaced Syrians in Lebanon

Wild herbs have become a new source of livelihood for displaced Syrians in Lebanon, particularly in spring, due to their useful health effects.

Abla al-Omari, from the demolished city of Idlib and displaced to south Lebanon, goes in the early morning hours with her four children to the nearby plains of al-Wazzani to work all day collecting wild herbs.

"The herbs in these plains have become the source of livelihood for most displaced Syrians, and our earnings from it help us compensate for the lack of aid from the UN and other donors," she said.

Abou Asaad Raef al-Samrani, displaced from Aleppo, said "the wild herbs we collect are very well known for their health benefits, and they meet the health ministry's standards, as they are free from chemical additives, and Lebanese families, particularly those living in coastal cities, are eager to get them."

"Those herbs are commonly known and our ancestors have always used them to heal all kinds of diseases, particularly those related to the digestive and urinary tract systems, while some are used in traditional Lebanese cuisine," he said.

Displaced from Damascus, Aisha al-Horshi found shelter in the village of Qaraon in the Bekaa region. She told Xinhua that "collecting wild herbs is easy and profitable. I work with my four children eight hours a day in the plains and we can collect around 20 kilograms, which we sell for four U.S. dollars per kilo."

According to the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees, Lebanon currently hosts around 1.2 million displaced Syrians, most of whom struggle to make a living with lack of financial support and aid from donor countries. Endit